By Xinhua,
Wellington : France plans to spend $80 million to rehabilitate French Polynesian atoll Hao, a military base used by the country during the 20 years of nuclear weapons testing in the South Pacific.
An agreement in this regard was signed by the French High Commissioner in Papeete, Adolphe Colrat, the French Polynesian vice-president Jules Ienfa, and the mayor of Hao, the Pacnews reported Monday.
Colrat said that the clean up will take seven years and marked a 10 times bigger financial commitment by France than what has been spent on the atoll so far.
France quit its nuclear weapons testing regime in 1996 but continues to face complaints for failing to compensate those who suffered poor health because of exposure to the nuclear blasts.